Lace and Paper Flowers
by beware of trips
Summary: Penelope always knew exactly what she wanted out of life: husband, kids, wholesome family-run business. She just had to get a certain Southside girl out of the way to get there first. Too bad plans never work out the way they should.


Lace and Paper Flowers

Things were going without a hitch. Mostly. And her last phase was in motion.

 _Acquire Hal Cooper_.

The original plan, which made her giggle now, had been so silly. _Make Hal Cooper fall hopelessly in love with me_. Penelope Bennet didn't need love. She just needed to sink her claws into a decent boy from a decent family. A better than decent family, if that. The Coopers were that old Riverdale blood (or as old as you could get in a town that was only verging on 50 years old). Her family loved the Coopers. Their mothers played bridge together and their fathers always did that thing where they clapped each other on the back and discussed business. And most importantly, they approved of her. Yes, Hal Cooper would do just fine.

She and Hal would make a perfect couple. He was only a junior, so sure, there would be a little backlash there, but nothing major. She'd talk him into going to whatever college she got into. And if he chose to spend his senior year still romping around with _her_ , that was fine. As long as he kept it quiet.

 _Her_. Alice fucking Smith. At least she and Hal were over now. Or damn near it.

She smoothed down her loose pigtails and adjusted the hem of her cheerleading uniform. There was a big football game on Friday and, as cheer captain, she vowed to wear her uniform to class all week to muster up school spirit.

Truth be told, she couldn't give a shit about school spirit. But Alice wasn't a cheerleader and Penelope knew boys always wanted that forbidden fruit they'd never had a taste of before. Reminding Hal she was a cheerleader would be the cherry on top.

She had been planning this for months after all. Every small calculated detail since the beginning of the school year had gone perfectly. From showing up at the Cooper's house when she knew Hal's parents were on their way out (they could never say no to letting go right upstairs to Hal's room, unannounced) to getting birth control pills from the clinic in Greendale (everyone knew slutty Southside girls only took it raw and she wouldn't disappoint Hal by making him wear a condom). Last week she had set in motion breaking them apart for good and today was the day everything would finally fall into place.

She walked down the hall, waving at a few people as they passed. She spotted Hal rummaging through his locker. She took hold of the door and leaned against it so he wouldn't be able to close it without moving her.

"Hey, hun," she said with a sad smile. "How you holding up?"

Hal's head went up, but he didn't turn to look at her. She saw his nostrils flair and his knuckles turn white around the book he was holding. His voice was venomous when he finally talked.

"What the hell do you want?"

She gulped, glad he wasn't looking at her. She slipping into the sweetest voice she could manage.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I know you must be all sorts of broke up, what with Alice's arrest and everything…"

Hal turned on her and grabbed the door of his locker, pulling it, and her, a little closer to him. She couldn't help but smile at the move as he brought his face closer to her.

"I am not stupid, Penny, and neither is Alice," he hissed at her. She kept her smile on. "Everyone knows it was you."

Hiram Lodge and a few other boys were approaching them behind Hal. They stopped when they saw the two of them together and watched from a few feet away. She let her mouth fall open ever so slightly and held a hand up to her chest. "Me? Why would I do such a thing?"

"Because you're a shitty person." They were in close enough proximity now that a passerby might get the wrong, or possibly right, idea. Hal seemed to realize this and raised his voice a little. "You hate Alice so you tried to ruin her life. I hope you know the whole school is pissed at you. Everyone's calling you a narc behind your back."

"Excuse me?" She kept the smile on her face even though she was starting to see red. Hal was supposed to fall on her compassion, not start making wild accusations (as true as they may be). "Hal, sweetie. I told you from the start Alice was nothing but trouble. Dealing weed out of her locker? Tssk tssk. That's just flat out stupid. I understand that when you come from a bad home environment, you often have to resort to horrible things, but drugs? What a shame. I know _I_ was rooting for her. Everyone was really hoping you were going to keep her in line, but," she placed her hand on his chest, "don't blame yourself."

"You're a fucking bitch, Penelope," his hissed again. "I know you called in that anonymous tip."

She ran her hand up his chest and adjusted his collar. Right as she went to touch his cheek, he grabbed her wrist and pulled it away roughly.

"Ouch!" she yelled louder than she meant to. The gesture didn't hurt, but she didn't want him with the upper hand. She made a show of rubbing her wrist when he let go of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hiram smirk and wave the crowd of people away. She sighed. "Look, I know you're hurting. You're parents aren't going to let you see her any –"

"Who said that?"

She shrugged. "I mean, they posted her mugshot in the Register. Their own son's girlfriend. You know they were never crazy about you two together. Don't tell me they're actually letting you…"

"Yeah, okay." He came away from her leaned next to his open locker. "They want me to break up with her. Doesn't mean I'm going to."

"Hal," she said softly. She made to touch his arm and he glared at her. "You can't keep seeing her. She'll ruin your family's name."

He rolled his eyes. "You sound like my mom. I'm not breaking up with Alice because of a little weed."

Penelope exhaled. "Be smart, Hal. She got _arrested_. She has a record. They're going to kick her out of school."

"She's not getting expelled, just a week's suspension. And the public defender says she has a really good chance of getting community service."

She pursed her lips and looked him up and down. She wanted a heartbroken pushover, not a lovesick fool. "Be sensible. You know the stock she comes from. Once she catches wind your parents want her gone, she'll probably find a nice way to trap you, if you catch my drift."

Hal stared at her blank faced for a few moments before talking. "What do you want?"

"To offer you comfort, lend you an ear." She reached out to him again and placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't push her away this time. "To invite you over after school today. My parents won't be home until late, so we'll have the whole house to ourselves."

Hal smiled. "There it is. Penny can't be nice unless she's after something."

She pulled gently at his shirt so he came out of his slouch on the locker and closer to her. Their faces were inches apart.

"What's so wrong with that?" she asked. "Maybe we're both after the same thing."

"Yeah?" he asked softly. Penelope felt her heart speed up. Maybe he wouldn't be so difficult after all. Hal moved his face closer to hers so their noses were almost together. What she wouldn't give for Alice to see them right now. "And what is it you want, Pen?"

"I want _you_ , silly," she whispered, breaking into a smile.

He took the end of one of her pigtails. Instead of moving it behind her shoulder like she anticipated, he gave it a small tug.

"Well, that's never going to fucking happen." He broke away from her, his voice rising with his words. "You're unbelievable. You want to feed me some bullshit about my girlfriend trapping me yet you… what the hell do you call this then?" He gestured between them. "If anyone here is trying to trap a Cooper, it's you."

The entire hallway was staring at them now. Her mouth fell slightly agape and she felt the heat rising on her face.

"How _dare_ you," she yelled louder than she meant to. "You're crazy. You hear me? You are fucking crazy. But I guess hanging around that nutty Southside bitch will do that to you."

Hal shook his head at her and slammed his locker. "Fuck you, Penny." He started walking away, nearly walking right into Hiram.

Hiram, with a huge grin on his face. Hiram, staring right at Penelope. He put his arms on either of Hal's shoulders and turned him back around.

"God, you do like the feisty don't you, Coop?"

Hal broke away from Hiram, not looking at him twice. "I need to go. And Penny," his voice dropped so only the three of them could hear, "I don't think I need to tell you that Alice knows it was you. Be careful."

She glared at him. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No." He shook his head slowly. "It's a warning."

He walked away, but Hiram stayed, still grinning at her.

"You know Penny, if it's just some fun you're looking for, you're barking up the wrong tree."

She rolled her eyes. "And you're the right tree, I suppose?"

"If you let me be."

An annoyed groan escaped her throat as she walked away from him. Pre-used Playboys were most definitely not what she was looking for.

* * *

"I heard you had a run in with Hal this morning," Hermione Nichols said to her in the locker room after cheer practice. Her voice had no hint of malice, but Penelope could see the girl's eyes dance with excitement.

She made a show of pulling the scrunchies out of her pigtails and shaking her hair out. A few other River Vixens were listening in and she liked keeping them in suspense.

"It's so sad really," she sighed, pulling a hair brush out of her bag. "He was – well, I don't want to say _propositioning_ me but that was certainly what it felt like. Had to put him in his place."

"Propositioning you? _Hal_?" Mary Taylor asked from Hermione's other side. She was pulling a pair of jeans on under her Vixen uniform and wasn't even looking at Penelope. "That doesn't sound like Hal."

Hermione turned on the other redhead. "Penny wouldn't lie, Mare. If she says Hal was perving on her, than I guess he was." She turned back to Penelope with a smile. "Right, Pen?"

She blinked a few times to hold back her eye roll. As cheer captain, it'd be her job to name a replacement at the end of the year when she graduated. Hermione was the obvious choice, she was by far the best on the team, prettiest in her grade, but the brown-nosing was getting a bit sickening, even for her taste.

"Of course. He and that Southside trash finally broke up and I guess he's looking for solace elsewhere." She put her hands on her hips and smirked at her girls. "Not finding it here though."

"Well, he wouldn't though, would he?" Mary muttered as she pulled her uniform over her head. Hermione turned on the girl, wide-eyed. Mary looked between the two girls for a second before pulling her shirt over her head. "What? He and Alice aren't even broken up."

"Then that's even worse," Hermione said quickly. "You have to wait until after you break up with your girlfriend to go around hitting on other girls. That's Grade A scum, right Mary?"

Mary nodded quickly, looking down. Penny bit the inside of her cheek. "You have something else to say?"

"No, I'm just… I'm heading to the bathroom. Anyone need a ride home?"

A few girls muttered their 'no thanks' and soon the crowd dispensed, leaving Penelope alone. She made no move to remove her uniform. Maybe she'd drive by the Cooper's and see if Hal was home alone. She was no quitter after all. She pulled the srunchies off her wrists and put her hair back in pigtails.

"Oh good, you're still here."

Penelope jumped as the voice spoke up behind her. She turned around and scowled.

"What Mary?"

"I – I didn't mean anything by what I said, you know?" She smiled forcefully and Penelope held back the urge to slap her. "I know you wouldn't lie. We're good, right?"

"Peachy," she said flatly. "Apology accepted. Good bye." She waved her on but Mary stayed put, playing with the strap of her bookbag.

"Hermione's looking for you. She's needs a tampon."

"You couldn't give her one?"

Mary stuck her tongue between her teeth. "I don't really use them, you know? I prefer pads. They're more comfortable."

Penelope snorted. "Just because you're a virgin doesn't mean you can't use a tampon. God, Mary."

A blush crept up the girls face. As a fellow redhead, she wanted to feel bad at that pesky flush that was so hard to hide, but was too annoyed with the girl to care.

"Do you have one or not? She's kind of in a jam."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go bring her one." She grabbed her bag and stood up. "Which stall?"

"Second from the end." Mary looked at her watch quickly before running out. "Got to run. I have work in a few."

Penelope walked slowly to the bathroom, digging through her purse for a tampon. She sped up once she pulled one out, yelling into the echoing room bathroom, "Why does daft bimbo Mary ask if anyone needs a ride home if she has to go to work? What's with that girl?" She took a few steps further into the locker room's bathroom, leaning down a little to look under the stall doors. "Hermione? You in here?"

The doors to the last two stalls were closed most of the way but neither was locked. She slowly pushed the door open. "Hermione?" she asked again, unsurely. It was empty. A noise in the last stall made her jump. She turned around to step out when a body slammed into her.

Alice Smith grabbed her by either wrist and pinned her against the wall behind the toilet tank, forcing her legs to either side of the toilet.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Penelope spat. "You can't be here. You're expelled."

"I'm suspended and it's after school hours," Alice hissed. She smiled brightly so Penelope could see each of her teeth. "I have been waiting all day to get you. Patience is a virtue, as they say."

The more she struggled against Alice, the tighter her grip became. "Let go of me or I'll scream."

"No point. Mary didn't send you to me until the locker room was clear and the football team will still be at practice for at least another hour." She dug her nails into Penelope's wrists. "Now quit squirming so we can talk."

She tried pulling away from Alice one more time, but the blonde responded by pinning her wrists against the back wall, right above her head. Penelope let out a sigh and let her body go slack.

"That's a good girl," Alice said with a grin. "Will you behave if I let go of you?" Penelope nodded and Alice pressed her wrists harder into the wall. "Come on now, Penny. Don't lie to me. Will you stay still if I let go of you?"

"No, I won't," she said softly.

"There we go. We're going to be honest in this stall right now. So first things first. Why'd you do it?"

"Do… do what?"

" _Penelope_."

"I want you gone." The top of the toilet tank was pressing into the small of her back, forcing her to arch into the wall. "Can you… can we just go somewhere more comfortable? Anywhere else?"

Alice smiled sweetly again. "Pass. I like the idea of interrogating you somewhere this dirty."

"The other side of the stall at least? Against the door? Your arms are going to kill you in a few minutes, holding them up like that."

Alice's eyes quickly darted over her shoulder before looking back at Penelope. "No funny business." She roughly grabbed pulled her forward and spun her around, pinning her against the door. She moved their hands together to slide the latch closed and pinned them again, this time level with their heads instead of above.

Without having the toilet right below them, Alice seemed to have no problem pressing her entire body up against her now. Penelope's heart started racing in spite of herself, giving her that same rush she'd felt earlier today when Hal was teasing her by his locker.

"So you want me gone, huh?" Alice asked. Her voice was level despite the anger Penelope could feel radiating off of her. It made her wonder if all those scenes the girl threw were more for show, rather than a lack of self-control. "That's pretty tedious. Why? Hal?"

"Partly," she breathed. "And partly because you were doing something _illegal_."

"Oh please. When did you become so self-righteous? Half this school brought weed from me. And now I have to close down shop so have fun dealing with the backlash." Alice leaned her face in. "Everyone _knows_ it was you, narc."

"No, everyone _thinks_ it was me. No one can prove it."

"Same difference. Them thinking you did it is just as bad as actually doing it. And don't even start denying it to people. You'll just make things worse for yourself." Penelope gulped again. "Now, now," Alice said with false sympathy. "Don't get all upset on me now. We're just getting started."

"What are you going to do to me?"

Alice cocked her eyebrow. "Sweetie, you wish I was going to do something to you. We're just going to talk, okay?" Alice started fiddling with her fingers until they were laced with Penelople's instead of just gripping them. It was a small move, and didn't stop her from being pinned against a stall door, but it made her feel a little more on an even playing field. "Talk."

"I want you out of the picture so I can have Hal."

"Hal's not into you."

"I'll make him into me." She sighed. "You'll just hurt yourself, Alice. You think a boy like that would ever marry a girl like you? You think his parents would let him? You're trash to them. You think they thought twice before running your mugshot in their newspaper? They want to disgrace you, drag you through the fucking mud."

"I was born in the mud," Alice said with an eye roll. "You think that article is going to make me go hide in shame? I don't care what people say about me."

"Bullshit." It was Penelope's turn to smirk. She loosened the grip she'd taken on Alice's hands and felt the other girl do the same. "You're crippling insecure. You put on this façade, but I can see right through you. It's all an act in confidence. One little puff and you'll come crumbling down." She blew a puff of air in Alice's face and watched her cringe.

"Hal tell you that?"

"He didn't need to. It's obvious. Maybe not to the casual observer, but I'm an expert."

"In snooping?"

"No, in people. Allow me to explain." She puffed up her chest as she took a large inhale of air and was surprised to feel Alice press her breasts up against her. That rush ran through her body again and she brushed it off before she continued. "I know Hal's not into me and that, for whatever reason, he's into you. Whatever. But I also know the second you're gone, truly gone, he won't know what to do with himself. You've imprinted yourself on him with whatever weird Southside voodoo and he'd wander around like a zombie without you around. That's where I come in. Hell, if there's one thing that boy obviously likes, it's a mean bitch who knows she's in charge. I strategically put myself in the right places, the right times. Be there for him and tell him what he needs and… there you have it. I'm Penelope Cooper with my two point five children, house on Elm Street and co-owner of a respectable Riverdale family business."

Alice's mouth was ajar. She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, taking in her words. Penelope took advantage of the girl's distraction and spun Alice around, pinning her to the door. Alice smirked.

"Who has the upper hand now?" Penelope asked with a smirk.

"It's cute you think that." Alice looked bored as she glanced back and forth between Penelope's face and her own hands pinned against the door. Her body was slack. "You call me crazy, but you're living out some damn fantasy in your head with a boy that hates you."

Penelope squeezed Alice's fingers, but didn't pay her any mind. "Hal does not hate me."

"Well he certainly doesn't like you." Alice's eyes started trailing down her body and Penelope pressed against her until she met her eyes again. "There are other boys. Hell, your family has way more money than the Coopers. Why not go after a Blossom or a Lodge? Hiram flirts with you all the time."

Penelope moved her face so their noses were almost touching, mimicking the stance Hal put her in before. She tried to use the breathy tone he'd used on her, but it came out like a flat whisper. "Hiram is shameless. He flirts with everyone."

Alice's eyes perked. Penelope wondered if she read her thoughts. He voice came out soft, teasing. "You any different?"

She didn't think, she just pressed her mouth against Alice's. There was a soft intake of breath as Alice gasped into her mouth, surprised by the gesture, not expecting the other girl to take the dare. Penelope slide her tongue in before Alice could close it again, running it along the teeth that had been mocking her for so long with her snarky smile.

It took a few seconds of coaxing before Alice's mouth responded and kissed her back, her teeth lightly biting down on Penelope's tongue as it explored her mouth. Alice's fingers twitched and she let go of her light grip, opting to run her hands down Alice's body. She made it to her waist before hooking her fingers into the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her into her body.

Alice took Penelope's face in her hands; her thumbs resting momentarily on Penelope's chin and the rest of her fingers scratching lightly on the back of her head. She let go, running her hands the rest of the way over her scalp, lightly running her fingers down each of her pigtails. She held onto the end of each and gave them a sharp tug.

Penelope broke away, Alice twirling the ends of her pigtails in either hand with a smirk.

"Oh, Penny. I just need to make sure you know who's in charge here."

"Over my dead body."

Alice tugged her hair lightly so Penelope had to move her face forward, less it got pulled again. She stopped when their noses were back together. "I can arrange that." She pulled away when Alice reached back in for a kiss.

"Is that like your thing? Hal pulled my hair earlier too."

Alice smirked again, continuing to twirl her fingers around the girl's red hair. "Wouldn't you like to know? We have a lot of _things_."

Alice crashed her mouth back into hers, biting her bottom lip suddenly. She stifled a groan into the other girl's mouth and untangled her hands from the waist of her jeans. She ran her hands lightly over Alice's front, gripping her breasts through her t-shirt. She groaned again and Alice started giggling.

"You don't wear a bra to school?" There was nothing sweet about how quick and rough she ran her hand under Alice's shirt, immediately running her thumbs over her nipples. Alice closed her eyes and let her head fall back and hit the door.

"I didn't go to school today," she muttered, biting down on her own lip. Penelope went for Alice's exposed neck, running her teeth lightly along it before sucking down on a spot right in the front. "My tits are small enough; I don't really need a bra."

Penelope unlatched herself, momentarily admiring the red splotch already forming on Alice's neck. "Shut up. Your tits are great size."

Alice snorted. "I think we're past the point of sweet talking." Penelope pinched her nipples, enjoying the Alice's squeal before going back to nuzzling her neck. She started trailing light kisses up to her ear.

"How will you explain that hickey to Hal?" The question came out of Penelope's mouth before she could help herself. Immediate regret filled her when Alice pushed her face away, letting one hand grab Penelope's chin.

"I'll tell him," Alice said simply. She ran her thumb over her chin before pushing it lightly into Penelope's open mouth. Alice watched her for a moment before pulling her thumb out, looking at the girl quizzically. "What are we doing?"

Penelope opened and closed her mouth. Her hands, still on Alice's breasts, suddenly felt clammy. She went to take them away, but Alice quickly cupped her own hands over them, pressing them back. Alice leaned against the door again, pulling Penelope's body against her.

"Penny," Alice said, back in her breathy voice, wide blue eyes staring at her. "What are we _doing_?"

She shrugged. "Messing around. I don't know. You're the one who pulled me in here."

"Not for _this_."

"You want to stop?" Alice looked down at the floor, not answering the question. " _Alice_."

Alice's hands were suddenly off hers as she grabbed her by the face again, pulling her into another open mouth kiss. Penelope let her hands fall to Alice's jeans again. She rubbed her crotch quickly over her jeans, smiling into the kiss as Alice grinded into her hand. She went back up to Alice's waist and started unbuckling her belt.

"Wait…" Alice moaned, but Penelope pressed her finger up to Alice's mouth.

"Just let me."

Alice looked her up and down once more before nodding. She pushed Alice's head back once more, working at her neck again while she undid the girl's jeans. Alice helped, pulling them down mid-thigh, and Penelope silently cursed her for not wearing a skirt. She looked down for a moment to peek at Alice's panties, surprised at the light pink with lace trim.

"Something wrong?" Alice asked.

"I just expected something a little more," she swished a few words around in her mouth before coming out with the right one, "risqué?"

Alice let out a small laugh, throwing her head back again. "We're both chocked full of surprises, babe."

Penelope ran her hand back over the crotch of Alice's panties, taking some pride that she could already feel the wet spot growing. She shoved the thin piece of fabric aside, sinking two of her fingers into the blonde girl. Alice's hands reached for Penelope's hips and grabbed the fabric of her cheer uniform, balling it up in her fists.

"No one can hear us," she muttered as she came away from Alice's neck again. The whole front of the girl's neck was covered in small lovebites now. Alice's teeth were sinking in to her own lip so hard she looked like she was about to draw blood. "You don't have to keep quiet."

Alice let go of her lip and let out a moan so filthy, Penelope could feel the wetness pooling in her own panties.

"That's more like it." She kissed her way up the side of Alice's neck, coming to stop in a spot below her ear that seemed to make her whole body quake.

"Alice!" she heard a voice yell. "You still here?"

Penelope quickly covered Alice's mouth with her left hand, keeping the right inside her panties. She considered pulling it out, but she could feel how close Alice was to finishing. With a smile at wide-eyed Alice, she picked up speed, muffling any sounds that dared to come out of her mouth.

"I can't believe you," a second voice followed. "She's going to murder Penny."

Her heart sped up at both the sound of her own name and the thrill of getting caught. _Mary and Hermione_ , she mouthed to Alice, who nodded automatically. Alice's eyes were rolling back in her head, looking like she was seeing heaven. She didn't look like she cared who walked in on them right now.

"Alice asked me to help her," the first voice, Mary, said. Their steps came to a halt at what seemed to be the beginning of the row of stalls.

"Yeah, yeah. Penny did her dirty," said Hermione. "Why'd you get involved?"

"I just told her to go to the bathroom –"

"But you used _my_ name, Mare. You incriminated _me_."

"I'm sure Penelope won't blame you."

"For what?"

"For... well, for whatever the hell she plans on doing to her."

There was a long pause before Hermione spoke again. "I am not helping Alice hide a dead body. Not happening."

Mary laughed. "Oh come on. They're not even here. And since the stalls aren't littered with blood, I can only imagine it didn't go that bad."

"Or… Penny's body is in that last stall waiting for some poor soul to find it."

"Should we check?"

Penelope turned her attention back to Alice when she heard her gulp. The two girls slowly walked down the row of stalls. Penelope picked up the pace with her fingers as Alice starting clenching around her hand. She quickly removed her other hand from Alice's mouth and kissed her, capturing whatever moans dared to escape.

Hermione let out a sigh that sounded like it was just on the other side of the door. "Oh fuck her. If Alice did murder her, at least I become cheer captain a few months early, right?"

Mary laughed again as the two retraced their steps and left. Penelope waited until she couldn't hear footsteps anymore before pulling her hand out of Alice's panties.

Alice fell slack against the door, eyes closed and panting. "Jesus, that was close."

"And how." She took in the panting blonde girl in front of her, giving her a second to collect herself before pushing two fingers into her mouth. Alice choked in surprised, but licked her fingers clean. She put her hands back on Penelope's hips and pushed her back against the door.

"Your turn?" Her hands trailed down to the hem of her skirt, slowly running her hands up her thighs. Penelope grabbed her wrist just before she reached her panties.

"Let's go back to my place," she suggested, heart pounding in her chest. "My parents won't be home until late and I dare say it's far more sanitary than fucking in a bathroom."

Alice sighed and pulled up her jeans, buckling her belt as she kicked open the stall door. She made a beeline for the sinks opposite them and started splashing water on her face.

She came up behind Alice, wrapping her arms around the girl's small waist and hooking her thumbs back into the belt hoops. She put her head on Alice's shoulder when she came up from the sink and took in the sight of them. Alice's curly, blonde hair was a mess, her neck a mess of hickeys, and a faint blush still grazing her cheeks from her orgasm. Penelope's own pigtails were lopsided from the hair pulling and her lipstick smeared everywhere. They looked guilty of exactly what they'd just done.

"That's a yes?" she asked Alice, starting to sway her back and forth. Alice shot her a look in the mirror.

"Hal's waiting for me in the parking lot."

Penelope stiffened, but didn't stop swaying Alice's body with her own. "What are you going to tell him?"

"I'm going to tell him we were fucking around in the locker room bathroom."

"Seriously though."

"Penelope," Alice said slowly, "I'm going to tell him. It's not a big deal."

She stopped moving and stared at Alice in the mirror. "He won't be mad at you?"

"A little maybe, because it was you. But don't worry." She reached back and placed her hand on Penelope's cheek. "I love getting him all riled up before we fuck. Angry sex is the best sex sometimes. It'll be a good night."

"Bring him too," she said quickly. She swallowed the gulp forming in her throat. "Bring Hal. The three of us, at my place…"

Alice shook her head. "Penny, no."

"Why not?" She started kissing Alice around her ear again, keeping one eye open to watch the girl's head fall back as she bit her lip again. "I can make you both happy," she whispered in her ear. "We can all be happy together. And have a lot of fun."

Alice pulled away from her suddenly, shaking her head again. "No, Penny. Things don't work like that."

"They could."

"They don't."

"Let's try."

Alice leaned against the bathroom sink and stared at herself in the mirror. "What happened in there… well, it's not going to erase a lifetime of you treating me like dirt or three years of trying to fuck my boyfriend, okay?"

"I can be different."

"You can't. Trust me." She turned and faced her head on. "I'll see you next week when I'm back at school, narc."

Penelope grabbed her arm as she made to walk by and pulled her into one last kiss. Unlike the one in the stall, there was no passion in this one. No spark.

"I told you things don't work that way," Alice said wryly. "See you around. Maybe in here again. One day."

Penelope waited for her footsteps to fade away before the tears came out. She wadded up a bunch of paper towels and began wiping the lipstick off her face.


End file.
